What is limiting your range now? Signal, Interference/Noise or Obstacles?

I generally recommend a simple outdoor antenna; it will give similar signal strength to the "superducky", but can be placed at some distance from your house-noise-generators and a bit higher to look over obstacles.

I have a little bit of experience useing something similar.........being about 15 miles from eidw I find signal strength of ground transmissions.a bit hit and miss...there is a fairly clear line of visiblity from my location and the airport,,,,,,,,,M50

Jambone - I own a Maycom AR-108, and live 4 miles from the local airport. With the included antenna you can pick up both ground and tower transmissions. Indoors the signal strength and audio quality suffers a lot with reduced signal strength and increased noise. Outdoors the signal strength increases considerably. The AR-108 does not have a BNC type connector like the Scanduck antenna.Also the Maycom is not "user friendly" as the Uniden radios. I found it hard to program and use. Audio output is not that great either if your outside an a noisy environment.

Maybe someone out there can suggest a radio for you? In my experience the Maycom AR-108 is good for single channel monitoring in a quiet location and in very close proximity to an airport.

Hope this info helps? If I have some time later today I can put together a signal comparison audio file for you.

I have this radio and I love it. When I am inside the house I hear mostly aircraft communications (especially aircraft that pass overhead on the JAWBN1 arrival into KSEA). If I go outside I am able to hear SOME controller communications, but it is hit and miss (depends on your location of course). I find this radio to be VERY user friendly. It is a receiver only, but you are able to plug headphones into it (the plug is inbetween the antenna and the knobs).

I have had this radio for almost a couple years now and am not planning on getting rid of it.

Jambone - Here is the audio file of Oakland ATIS. I made two recordings, one from outside my balcony and one inside, then spliced the audio tracks together alternating between "outside" and "inside". The inside has more noticeable background noise. Recording made from the Maycom AR-108 handheld with stock antenna. Distance 4 miles.

Hope this helps?

PS: I definitely would look into the Uniden BC72XLT MattG pointed out. Unidens are much more "User Friendly" and that model does have a BNC antenna connector.

I had a Uniden UBC92XLT, and even after a thorough baking (like serious warping the the battery cover) on my brothers dashboard the radio worked fine. At the time I also had batteries in it too and the display was totally black. I have since then donated the scanner to a friend. I have a Uniden UBCT-9 on order and should be arriving soon ( http://www.uniden.com.au/AUSTRALIA/p_ubct9_index.asp ).

So to sum up the UBC92XLT is a rugged radio and offers very nice functionality, the only thing it lacks is trunk tracking. But for the airband that's not an essential feature to have.